This application relates to a composition and method useful for treating snoring or the effects thereof.
It is estimated that over 50 million individuals snore nightly. The term xe2x80x9csnoringxe2x80x9d generally refers to a rough or hoarse sound that arises from a person""s mouth during sleep. Snoring is believed to be generally caused by the narrowing of the pharyngeal airway such that turbulent airflow during relaxed breathing vibrates the soft parts of the pharyngeal passage, such as the soft palate, the posterior faucial pillars of the tonsils and the uvula. A restricted pharyngeal passageway can occur anatomically. For example, in children, this often is caused by obstruction due to enlarged tonsils or adenoids. In adults, it is not unusual for the narrowing to be caused by obesity. Further anatomical narrowing can be simple a matter of heredity, with some persons being predisposed towards a smaller pharyngeal cross-section. A reduced pharyngeal passageway may also be caused by a lack of muscle tone. Snoring may also be exacerbated by consuming either alcohol or drugs (such as tranquilizers, sleeping pills and antihistamines) prior to bedtime. Smoking can also contribute to the incidence of snoring since cigarettes may irritate the mucus membranes of the upper airway causing swelling and increased mucus production.
Snoring remains a serious problem for a large segment of the population. Snoring is often a significant factor in relationships, causing disturbed sleep patterns, daytime fatigue and hyper-irritability in the non-snoring partner. In more extreme cases, relationship partners sleep in separate bedrooms, which may lead to decreased intimacy, increased resentment and eventually deterioration of the relationship. These factors also cause anxiety and depression that result in failing relationships with friends and co-workers, as well as reduced work performance.
Snoring can indicate a more serious condition and, due to exhaustion resulting from lack of sleep, can cause other problems. For example, an association between snoring and hypertension has been found, and cardiac arrhythmia has been reported during sleep apnea attacks. Sleep apnea is a condition in which the patient stops breathing during sleep. Persons with sleep apnea often snore. Sleep apnea can also be present without snoring. Sleep apnea has been linked to serious medical conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, stroke, obesity, and decreased pulmonary function. In severe cases sleep apnea may even cause death. Not only is the risk of cessation of breathing dangerous, lack of oxygen due to an obstructed pharyngeal passageway deprives the body of sufficient oxygen so that oxygen desaturation arises. Lack of oxygen may cause the brain to rouse the sleeper just enough to take a breath without fully awaking. This may occur hundreds of times a night, with the result that the snorer fails to get sufficient sleep. Moreover, being aroused from deep REM sleep on a repetitive basis may increase heart rate and blood pressure. Thus, snoring may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, as noted above. Narcolepsy may result from exhaustion, and can cause a lack of attention for the snorer during waking hours, thus reducing productivity and even causing dangerous situations should the exhausted snorer operate machinery or vehicles.
Efforts to control snoring have taken many forms. For example, wrist alarms have been used to rouse a sleeper when the wrist alarm detects the sound of snoring; adhesive nasal strips have been used to help open the nostrils of a sleeper for improved breathing; septum stimulator devices have been used to grip or pinch the nerves of the septum in an effort to improve air flow through the nose; and specially shaped neck pillows have been proposed to realign the spine and relieve muscle stress during sleep. A basic but often unsatisfactory anti-snoring treatment simply involves having an individual sleep in the prone position or on his/her side. Sometimes this is stimulated by sewing a marble or other object into the back of the snorer""s clothes. Where an individual is obese, treatment may include a program of weight loss. Anti-snoring sprays containing oils and/or glycerin (a/k/a glycerol or 1,2,3-propanetriol) in combination with water and vitamins have also been developed. Such sprays have largely proven to be ineffective for hydrating mucus due to the short period of contact with the mucus unless repeatedly applied throughout the night. Further, costly intervention (surgery) and mechanical aids (breathing machines) have been tried. For example, costly and invasive surgical methods have been used, such as laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty which trims and reshapes the uvula and posterior soft palate. This requires three to four procedures spaced four to six weeks apart. In addition, the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) generator and face mask has been tried, by which a machine pumps air through a hose and nose/mouth face mask to keep air passages clear. Another example of a treatment device is a custom-made mouth-piece constructed to move the snorer""s lower jaw forward, thus opening the airway. Such mouth-pieces are generally regarded, however, as being uncomfortable and ineffective.
While numerous snoring management techniques have been described, depending upon the perceived cause of snoring, some of these treatments have proven to be consistently or satisfactorily effective. When snoring is caused or exacerbated by nasal allergy or an upper respiratory tract infection, these conditions may be pharmacologically treated, but, as noted above, this has not proven effective for treating the overall snoring condition. Thus, there remains a long felt but unresolved need for an effective composition and method for treating snoring without the attendant disadvantages of conventionally available compositions and methods.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a composition and method for preventing, treating or alleviating the effects of snoring in an individual in need thereof.
Another object of the present invention is to make available a composition and method for preventing, treating or alleviating the effects of snoring that is largely present in healthy individuals.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an anti-snoring composition and method whereby the uvula area of an individual is treated to prevent or reduce the noise effects of snoring while the individual is sleeping.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a composition of the above type that may be topically applied to the soft palate and uvula to reduce or eliminate snoring.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a composition of the above type that may be easily manufactured.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a composition of the above type that uses natural active ingredients.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a composition of the above type that may be applied as a throat spray.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a composition of the above type that may reduce or prevent snoring for hours with a single application.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a composition of the above type that acts as a vasodilator or in the mucosa to relieve congestion.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a composition of the above type that will reduce swelling of pharyngeal passages and shrink swollen mucous membranes.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a composition of the above type that will cause extended contraction of muscles in the soft palate and uvula areas.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a composition of the above type that will cause tightening of the mucosa of the uvula and soft palate.
The above and other objects are accomplished by a composition comprising at least one homopolysaccharide (a/k/a homoglycan) as the principle active ingredient, alone or optionally in combination with glycerin as another active ingredient. Application as a throat spray is preferred. Such methods of treatment, their dosage levels and requirements may be selected by those of skill in the art from available methods and techniques that are further described below, are known in the art, or are readily determinable using routine experimentation. Particularly for a throat spray, a flavoring agent, including but not limited to wintergreen, peppermint, cinnamon, lemon oil, eucalyptus or similar oils sorbitol may be used. If used, the flavoring agent is preferably present in the solution in a weight percent substantially within a range of approximately 0.001 to approximately 3, is more preferably substantially within a range of approximately 0.01 to approximately 2, and is most preferably substantially within a range of approximately 0.02 to approximately 1.
Additional aspects, features, embodiments and advantages of the present invention will be set forth, in part, in the description that follows, or may be learned from practicing or using the present invention. The objects and advantages may be realized and attained by means of the features and combinations particularly pointed out throughout this description and the appended claims. It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not to be viewed as being restrictive of the invention as claimed.